White House Stands With United Kingdom; Blames Russia for Attack on Former Spy

YURI SENATOROV/AFP/GETTY IMAGES14 Mar 2018

The White House issued a statement standing by the United Kingdom after Prime Minister Theresa May expelled 23 Russian diplomats in response to an attack on former spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter.

“The United States shares the United Kingdom’s assessment that Russia is responsible for the reckless nerve agent attack on a British citizen and his daughter, and we support the United Kingdom’s decision to expel Russian diplomats as a just response,” a statement from the White House press office read.

The White House condemned Russia for undermining sovereign countries and democratic institutions around the world.

“The United States is working together with our allies and partners to ensure that this kind of abhorrent attack does not happen again,” the statement concluded.

Skripal and his daughter were attacked with a military-grade nerve agent “Novichok” that was developed by Russia.

“This represents an unlawful use of force by the Russian state against the United Kingdom,” May said in her response to the attack.

Skripal was a Russian intelligence service member who was imprisoned by Russia for giving information to the British. He was later included in a spy swap with the UK in 2010 and was living in Britain when he was attacked.